LENNON, written off in some quarters before he even took over in Paisley, reckons his satirical appearance on TV, where he was mocked for using a tablet during press calls, is a sign he must be doing something right.

DANNY LENNON insists there’s only one way to deal with being sent up by Jonathan Watson on the BBC’s Hogmanay special of Only An Excuse – enjoy it.

The St Mirren manager took the warts and all parody of his personality as the ultimate accolade and basked in the glow of nationwide recognition.

And he accepted his satirical appearance on TV, where he was mocked for his use of a tablet during press calls, as a sign he must be doing something right to be singled out.

Lennon was dismissed by his detractors as a cheap option when the Paisley club parted company with their previous manager Gus MacPherson.

And Lennon, left, was conscious of that putdown when he assumed responsibility for helping keep the side in the SPL.

A year later he took St Mirren to the club’s highest league finish in 25 years to signify the progress able to be made in a short space of time.

If Danny happens to read answers from an iPad during his press conferences, endearing himself to comedy writers, then that’s an idiosyncrasy and not a sign of premature senility.

There were no Apple devices in evidence, it must be said, when Lennon sat down with Record Sport the day after St Mirren’s draw with Kilmarnock.

That result gave them an unbeaten romp through a festive fixture list which included beating Motherwell and taking four goals off Dundee United in a spectacular win at Tannadice.

But it went without saying that conversation would first of all turn to his 15 minutes of fame on the programme that can leave those not portrayed feeling left out.

He said: “I didn’t see it go out live because I’m an old pro and I was in bed before the bells as we had training the following day. That’s the routine I’ve followed since I signed for Hibs as a teenager.

“But I went up to my sister-in-law’s house for my steak pie tea the following day and my sons, Kealin and Kruz, couldn’t wait to show me a recording.

“My attitude is football’s a part of the entertainment industry. If you want to dish out the funny stuff from time to time, as I do, then you have to be prepared to take it back when it’s your turn.

“I took the whole thing as a compliment because my belief is a life in football is like jumping on to a rollercoaster. You get on at a young age and, if you’re anything like me, you decide you’re never getting off again.

“The best bit of all is this rollercoaster ride is absolutely free. I’ve known harder times. I’m enjoying the good life in a job where they pay you to do something I’d do for nothing for the privilege of proving my worth.”

Danny remembers his youth in Whitburn as one of six children born into modest circumstances and the impact working-class values made on his professional life.

The son of a toolmaker with four older sisters and a younger brother had football to thank for being able to make a difference to family life and never stopped respecting what the game could do for him after being given a practical lesson as a kid.

He said: “My dad went with me when I signed for Hibs on Christmas Eve in 1984. I was 15 years old and Tommy Craig, who was John Blackley’s assistant manager, gave me several pairs of new boots to take home with me. Now Tommy’s my assistant manager at St Mirren.

“My dad was a Hibs supporter and thrilled to bits over my signing but five years later he was taken from us. He was like a friend and a confidant to me and we were close.

“Before he died I signed full professional forms and was given a signing-on fee that allowed me to pay for the installation of central heating in my parents’ house.

“That meant there would be no more need to go out and bring coal in to light a fire and no more use for the paraffin heater we used to gather round as children getting ready for school on a winter’s morning. Being able to do that pleased me a great deal.

“The money spent meant I’d learned a sense of responsibility and the first thing I appreciated was that whatever I did in the game I’d never fail for the want of hard work.”

Lennon left Hibs for Raith Rovers but missed out on their League Cup win over Celtic in 1994 due to a training-ground injury.

But the following season he had the distinction of scoring the goal that meant Raith left the pitch at the Olympic Stadium at half-time while leading Bayern Munich 1-0 in the UEFA Cup.

He said: “We might have lost in the end but I always think of that night as my compensation for missing the Cup Final. The game’s about highs and lows but now I’m at a level where the lows last much longer because the stakes are higher in the SPL.

“But I won’t have it that the league is unattractive. The game sells itself short in Scotland because we’re preoccupied with negativity. We were part of the proverbial seven-goal thriller against Dundee United over the festive period and yet it was the last game shown on the BBC’s highlights.

“All the pundits did was go on about individual mistakes and defensive frailty. We should be talking the game up better than that.”

Lennon will ask for credit where it’s due but he’ll also accept criticism when he gets it wrong. His team’s display against Celtic recently was described by Record Sport columnist Murdo MacLeod as the most negative he had ever seen in the SPL.

Lennon doesn’t deny the charge.

He said: “We were negative and I didn’t enjoy the match. I was at Partick Thistle for a long spell and played under John Lambie. The first thing he taught me was I had to handle the truth so I can accept when I’ve been wrong.

“But on that day at Celtic Park, I was trying to look out for St Mirren, a club I’ve grown to love more each day since I came here.

“The pressure on me is to keep the team in the league and produce a conveyor belt of young talent.

“That’s why I can handle the ribbing after the TV programme. I’ve had a good career at a decent level and always played the game full-time so I like to think I know what I’m doing.”